Riverside Police Department Makes Significant Arrest on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

“It’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Day so we thank all the men and women at the Riverside Police Department for their part in keeping Riverside safe. And in our appreciation for the Riverside community we serve, we thank you as well!

And what better way to thank our community than by taking a local gang member off the streets before he victimizes anyone else.

Late last night, two of our Watch A Patrol Officers stopped a car coming from Banbury Drive at Magnolia Avenue when they discovered the driver was a documented gang member on probation for drug sales. They searched him and his car and found an ounce & a half of suspected methamphetamine, a little over an ounce of heroin, and marijuana along with a decent amount of cash. The officers booked him on these drug charges then grabbed their partners to roll back to his residence and conduct a probation search.

This is where they found two unregistered pistol-grip shotguns, two stolen rifles, and over 300 rounds of ammunition. 58-year-old Joseph Anthony Cota was booked into jail for a variety of weapons and narcotics violations, possession of stolen property, and violation of his probation.

Thank you Watch A for keeping our community safe from this criminal last night, and to all our officers, dispatchers, and support staff for what you do for Riverside!”